Havocfest 2017, Part 2

This is late, I know! We moved across the country and we’re tired. (Those landscapes though!! WOW!) But I wanted to deliver on more Havocfest content, as promised, even if the day has passed.

In particular, I had to do this picture in 2017. It’s been in the back of my head, calling me, every single Havocfest, but it was too much of an undertaking that I didn’t feel ready for. But this year, the game turned ten, and a tribute could no longer be delayed!

Why are these costumes so important? If you don’t recognize the characters, they’re from Super Paper Mario, one of my favorite games of all time and a big reason for The Fourth’s very existence. My whole life, as I played video games, I tended to have a love and interest for the “baddies” and a desire to see things from their side. Then ten years ago, I found the crew of villains in this game to be so fascinating and charming in their familial, teasing and loving relationships and surprisingly deep stories, that I committed myself to that concept more than ever before. I spent so much time thinking about and drawing those characters, but as years passed I knew I wouldn’t be truly happy until I took that vast amount of inspiration and spun it into a story of my own with similar elements- showing a group of villains from their grandest schemes to the quieter moments of their daily lives; how they suffer and hurt, argue with and love and protect each other. What drives each of them to do what they do? With Victor’s help, that story was created.

The Fourth seems to be a parody of Zelda and fantasy adventures on the surface, but tonally I think it takes a lot from the Paper Mario series and its sense of self-parody. For my part, I would say SPM is the single biggest inspiration, although I have many others and Victor has his own that are totally different. So for me at least, this is an important tribute that’s been a long time in the making. (Not to mention that aside from doing so much to inspire the comic, the game helped me through a very difficult time in my life and just generally means the world to me.)

…And if you do know these characters, don’t read too much into trying to extrapolate their relationships and actions onto The Fourth’s cast! They’re just costumes

I made him Davis because he’s cute but evil and has a trollish nature (NOT because of any plot relevant stuff that’s going to happen ) Skärva needed to be Bleck because he’s the leader, but honestly the only person in our main cast REALLY depressed enough to be Bleck is probably The Second. He’s obsessed with books, too! Dang, I screwed up

Of the five shown, Davis probably WOULD be the most likely to betray the others. Cyril is too dopey/nice (and isn’t actually part of the team, so he literally CAN’T betray them), Dirk and Ecta have way too much loyalty, and Lorelei might get fed up and leave if Skarva went particularly overboard, but outright betrayal doesn’t seem like her m.o.

Their personalities may not be all that similar, but they DO fill pretty much the same roles (if Ecta and Davis were part of Skarva’s inner circle) for the Five Man Band/Five Bad Band as their SPM counterparts:
Skarva/Bleck: Leader/Big Bad
Ecta/(I forget the bat girl’s name): Lancer/Dragon
Davis/Dimentio: The Smart Guy/Evil Genius
Dirk/O’Chunks: The Big Guy/The Brute
Lorelei/Spider girl: The Chick/The Dark Chick
Cyril/Luigi: The 6th Ranger

Hi Dustin! Trust me, I miss the comic with every fiber of my being, and I hate to leave everyone hanging, but I’ve been doing commissions to keep myself afloat while looking for a job. Trying to build up a little buffer though – expect some continuation VERY soon No later than Medifest! (Valentine’s Day)